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Kyle Parmley
Chelsea Volleyball
Chelsea's Lauren Buchanan (7) hits the ball during a match between Jasper and Chelsea on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at Chelsea High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Savannah Schmidt
Aubrie Lay (9) of Oak Mountain spikes ball in the Calera vs Oak Mountain Girls Volleyball game at Oak Mountain High School on September 10, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A, Area 6 Volleyball
Oak Mountain's Betsy Smith (15) readies from the Class 7A, Area 6 volleyball tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, at Oak Mountain High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Chelsea Volleyball
Chelsea's Cara Belcher (14) sets during a match between Jasper and Chelsea on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at Chelsea High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Savannah Schmidt
Kate Gordon (3) of Oak Mountain sets ball in the Calera vs Oak Mountain Girls Volleyball game at Oak Mountain High School on September 10, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt
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Kyle Parmley
Chelsea Volleyball
Chelsea's Lauren Buchanan (7) hits the ball during a match between Jasper and Chelsea on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at Chelsea High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 6A, Area 8 Tournament
Chelsea's Lauren Buchanan (7) implores her team during a Class 6A, Area 8 tournament match between Chelsea and Spain Park on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Pelham High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Chelsea Volleyball
Chelsea's Lila Willett (12) plays it over during a match between Jasper and Chelsea on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at Chelsea High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Briarwood vs. Vestavia Hills Volleyball
Briarwood's Mia Wilson (4) sets during a match between Briarwood and Vestavia Hills on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at Vestavia Hills High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 6A, Area 8 Tournament
Chelsea's Sophia Bagley (9) passes during a Class 6A, Area 8 tournament match between Chelsea and Spain Park on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Pelham High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Briarwood vs. Vestavia Hills Volleyball
Briarwood's Julie Roberts (5) plays the ball over during a match between Briarwood and Vestavia Hills on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at Vestavia Hills High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Briarwood vs. Vestavia Hills Volleyball
Briarwood's Clara Crawford (8) celebrates during a match between Briarwood and Vestavia Hills on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at Vestavia Hills High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
North Super Regional Volleyball
Oak Mountain's Caroline Whitehurst (13) hits the ball during a Class 7A North Super Regional match between Oak Mountain and Bob Jones on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at Finley Center in Hoover. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Savannah Schmidt
Anaya Patel (2) cheers team on in the Calera vs Oak Mountain Girls Volleyball game at Oak Mountain High School on September 10, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt
The 2024 high school volleyball season featured plenty of phenomenal individual and team seasons. With the quality of volleyball in the Birmingham area, simply being selected to the annual Starnes Media All-South Metro Team, in conjunction with Under the Lights, is an honor.
Chelsea senior Lauren Buchanan takes the overall Player of the Year award after capping off an illustrious career. After five years of trying, she helped her Hornets team get to the state tournament and to a final four finish for the first time in program history.
Mountain Brook’s Mae Mae Beatty is the Offensive Player of the Year after leading the way for the Spartans. Beatty has been a force on the outside for the last few years for Mountain Brook and really took on a leadership role for the team this year.
Hoover’s Sydney Durban is the Defensive Player of the Year after putting together one of the most productive campaigns imaginable for a libero. Durban’s defensive prowess was one of the reasons the Bucs advanced to the state final four for a second straight year.
Player of the Year: Lauren Buchanan, Chelsea
Offensive Player of the Year: Mae Mae Beatty, Mountain Brook
Defensive Player of the Year: Sydney Durban, Hoover
Coach of the Year: Jamie Gill, Chelsea
1ST TEAM
Outside hitter: Lauren Buchanan, Chelsea. Likely the best player in program history, Buchanan posted 764 kills and 346 assists for the season for the Texas Tech signee.
Outside hitter: Mae Mae Beatty, Mountain Brook. The Montevallo signee posted 462 kills and 281 digs for the Spartans.
Outside hitter: Millie Burgess, Vestavia Hills, surpassed 1,000 career kills as a junior, going for 566 kills and 313 digs on the year.
Outside hitter: Layla Smith, Hoover, posted 510 kills and 181 digs.
Setter: Cara Belcher, Chelsea, finished with the most career assists in program history, posting 1,357 assists in her senior year before heading to UVA-Wise.
Setter: Mia Wilson, Briarwood. The lone senior on Chris Camper’s first team, posting 807 assists and 190 digs.
Setter: Cailyn Kyes, Spain Park, set a school record with 895 assists to go along with 334 digs.
Libero: Sydney Durban, Hoover, posted an eye-popping 870 digs in her senior season before heading to UAH.
Libero: Ella Kate Wright, Mountain Brook, battled injury and still had 384 digs in a great season.
Middle: Kennedy Vincent, Hewitt-Trussville. The senior had 227 kills and 113 blocks.
Middle: Aubrie Lay, Oak Mountain, posted 189 kills in her final season before heading to Mississippi Christian University.
Middle: Alexa Benda, Spain Park, capped her career with 279 kills and 112 blocks.
Right side: Lila Willett, Chelsea. The Pearl River Community College commit had 222 kills for the year.
Right side: Marion Haskell, John Carroll, posted 306 kills to lead the way for the Cavs.
All-around: Jordan Madsen, Vestavia Hills. The two-sport athlete and versatile volleyball player had 325 kills and 123 digs.
All-around: Olivia Guenster, Hoover, moved to the outside after beginning the season on defense and had 259 kills with 569 digs.
2ND TEAM
Outside hitter: Bea Wiggins, Spain Park. The junior had a standout season, with 348 kills and 293 digs.
Outside hitter: Alexis Rudolph, Chelsea. The sophomore had 377 kills.
Outside hitter: Madelyn Bromley, Hewitt-Trussville. The Wallace State signee had 294 kills and 235 digs in a productive senior season.
Outside hitter: Ellie Watts, Homewood, had a productive year with 206 kills and 208 digs for the Patriots.
Setter: Grace Stewart, Mountain Brook. The senior racked up 847 assists and 214 digs in her first year as a starter.
Setter: Madi Lopez, Hoover, had 596 assists and 280 digs as one of two setters.
Setter: Addison Jenkins, Hoover, finished with 489 assists and 180 as one of two setters.
Libero: Sophia Bagley, Chelsea. The junior stepped in and registered 375 digs.
Libero: Camdyn Kyes, Spain Park. The eighth grader had 485 digs and 108 assists.
Middle: Sydnie Broom, Hoover, posted 180 kills and 153 blocks.
Middle: Ja’Niyah Mosley, Spain Park, posted 165 kills in a productive season.
Middle: Cali Armstead, Homewood. The Berry College commit had 91 kills and 51 blocks for the year.
Right side: Aliyah Pooler, Hoover, had 231 kills on the season.
Right side: Betsy Smith, Oak Mountain, played multiple positions and finished with 375 assists and 190 digs.
All-around: Caroline Whitehurst, Oak Mountain, put together a great season with 391 kills and 322 digs for the Eagles.
All-around: Kate Gordon, Oak Mountain, finished with 437 assists, 203 digs and 104 aces in a productive all-around season.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Outside hitter: Mady Kirkpatrick, John Carroll; Reagan Gilbert, Spain Park; Julie Roberts, Briarwood.
Setter: Kayleigh Nguyen, Hewitt-Trussville; Kam Coleman, Homewood; Isabella Marino, John Carroll.
Libero: Christiana Callens, Hewitt-Trussville; Anaya Patel, Oak Mountain; Lillie Hill, Vestavia Hills; Amelia Browne, Hoover.
Middle: Ally Ross, Oak Mountain; Ava Scott Windham, Vestavia Hills; Marley Cowan, Vestavia Hills; Clara Crawford, Briarwood.
Right side: Kayla Terrell, Hoover; Eden Rainbolt, Hoover; Mae Noerager, Homewood.
